Flexible construction unit, kit, and method for constructing a structure

Abstract

A construction unit may have a main body formed from a flexible material. The main body may have a first side and a second side. The construction unit may have a plurality of magnetic connectors attached to the main body. A kit for construction of a structure may have a plurality of construction units, at least one flexible link, at least one active unit, and at least one control unit. A method of making a structure includes a first step of providing a plurality of construction units. There is second step of connecting at least one of the magnetic connectors of a first one of the construction units with at least one of another one of the magnetic connectors of the first one of the construction units, and at least one of the magnetic connectors of a second one of the construction units, whereby the structure is formed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein the main body has a maximum thickness and the at least one magnetic connector has a total thickness, the total thickness of the at least one magnetic connector being greater than the maximum thickness of the main body. 
 
     
     
       2. The construction unit of  claim 1 , wherein the main body has a maximum thickness that is less than 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
       3. The construction unit of  claim 2 , wherein the maximum thickness of the main body is between 0.094 millimeters and 0.35 millimeters. 
     
     
       4. The construction unit of  claim 3 , wherein the maximum thickness of the main body is about 0.3 millimeters. 
     
     
       5. The construction unit of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is selected from a group consisting of paper, synthetic paper, leather, synthetic leather, elastomer, plastic, rubber, metal, fabric, composites, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       6. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein a width of the at least one free end area is greater than a width of the arm. 
 
     
     
       7. The construction unit of  claim 6 , wherein a width of the hub is the same as the width of the free end area. 
     
     
       8. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein the at least one magnetic connector includes a second magnetic connector disposed in the hub. 
 
     
     
       9. The construction unit of  claim 8 , wherein the first magnetic connector is disposed at least 60 mm apart from the second magnetic connector. 
     
     
       10. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein the main body has a first side and a second side, and at last one of the first side and the second side is entirely planar. 
 
     
     
       11. The construction unit of  claim 10 , wherein the first side and the second side are entirely planar. 
     
     
       12. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein the flexible material is one of a polyester-based synthetic paper and a polyolefin synthetic paper. 
 
     
     
       13. A construction unit, comprising:
 a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge; and 
 at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein at least one arm of the main body includes a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, radiating outwardly from the hub. 
 
     
     
       14. The construction unit of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one free end of each of the first arm, the second arm, the third arm, and the fourth arm has the first magnetic connector. 
     
     
       15. The construction unit of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one magnetic connector includes a second magnetic connector disposed in the hub. 
     
     
       16. A kit for construction of a structure, comprising:
 a plurality of separate construction units, each of the construction units having a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge, and at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, 
 wherein the main body has a maximum thickness and the at least one magnetic connector has a total thickness, the total thickness of the at least one magnetic connector being greater than the maximum thickness of the main body. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for construction of a structure, comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of separate construction units, each of the construction units having a main body formed from at least one sheet of flexible material, the flexible material being non-magnetic, the main body having a hub, at least one arm disposed on the hub, and at least one free end area disposed at an end of the at least one arm opposite the hub, the at least one free end area have a free edge, and at least one magnetic connector disposed in the main body, the at least one magnetic connector including a first magnetic connector disposed in the at least one free end area of the main body, the at least one magnetic connector being circumscribed by an entirety of the flexible material of the at least one free end area and spaced apart from the free edge, wherein the main body has a maximum thickness and the at least one magnetic connector has a total thickness, the total thickness of the at least one magnetic connector being greater than the maximum thickness of the main body; and 
 connecting at least one of the magnetic connectors of a first one of the construction units with at least one of
 i) another one of the magnetic connectors of the first one of the construction units, and 
 ii) at least one of the magnetic connectors of a second one of the construction units, 
 
 whereby the structure is formed. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a gap is formed between the at least one free end area of the first one of the construction units and the at least one free end area of at least one of i) the another one of the magnetic connectors of the first one of the construction units, and ii) at least one of the magnetic connectors of the second one of the construction units, the gap permitting for a gripping of the free edge of the free end area of the first one of the construction units for assembly or disassembly.